


Handle Me With Care

by mubtaahij



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Buzzfeed, Fluff, Gen, a lot of fluff, buzzfeed unsolved - Freeform, shyan, song prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-09
Updated: 2018-03-09
Packaged: 2019-03-26 04:16:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13849914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mubtaahij/pseuds/mubtaahij
Summary: “I needed to share and only you would listen,hoped would someone would care, and only you would listen.You raised my voice up, taught me not fear.I’ve learned who I am because you’re here.”





	Handle Me With Care

**Author's Note:**

> 'ello! now on to a more happy and light-hearted work after my previous writing (which was Nevermore). 
> 
> This story was inspired by a few lines I wrote in my other fic Terror on the Turnpike, but these two works do not go together! It was also inspired by the song If Only You Would Listen from the Broadway show School of Rock because I've literally been seeing Broadway productions since I was five and it's all I know :))) Anyway, enjoy!
> 
> p.s.  
> you can tell this story SLACKS towards the middle and onto the end. I kind of lost inspo for it, I may come back and rewrite it but I’m sorryyy!

  
Shane was an open book, every part of him. He tried his best to make himself as indecipherable as he could but he never succeeded in accomplishing that. No matter how nonchalant and cold-blooded he tried to be he always ended up spilling his emotions in every “I don’t care” and “It doesn’t bother me” he gave. He had feeling, he wasn’t as invincible as he made himself to be, and that was okay.

Ryan knew all of this, in fact, he was practically the only one that did. He knew how to interpret each and every one of Shane’s mannerisms. He knew what they all did and did not mean. You see, he’d spent his time figuring Shane out. He wanted to _know_ him, as in in a sense of even though you’re persuading everyone else with your cover-up voice and body language, I know you’re lying because I see it in your eyes. That’s what always gave Shane away, his eyes.

Whether he was hiding his sorrow, excitement, irritation, annoyance or fear, Ryan always knew when he looked into his eyes. He could see right through him as if he were glass, which was the truth because honest to god Shane could break like it. And that tore Ryan in two.

That’s why Ryan started to do what he did, he started to learn him in every way he could. He began paying just a little more attention to details. Details like how Shane’s voice fluctuated whenever too much of any emotion overwhelmed him, how he shifted weight from one foot to the other whenever he was growing impatient or how he could never meet Ryan’s eye when he was afraid. All of this he’d picked up on by just staring a little longer, a little deeper, whenever Shane spoke to him.

-

It all started on a spring day in April. The temperature outside was surprisingly bearable, pleasurable even. The two had gone to work per usual and had a shoot that afternoon for a video the Shane was working on. There was a nice breeze in the air, everybody at the office seemed a little more peppy than the other intolerably humid days. Some even had the windows at the building propped open.

The day had been busy, packed full with monotonous meetings and routine pre-production necessities. It began to stress Shane a little, but this was normal, expected even. He could never sit still in his chair and found himself needing to walk around in order to stay approachable and not rude and snappy.

In the hours leading up to shoot everything just seemed to go wrong. First, there were misunderstandings with reserving studios and the one they booked for the afternoon was already being used. This was a frustration but nothing too major. Secondly, whenever they did finally get ahold of a filming space the power cut out mid way through, apparently a few power lines were down due to a traffic pile up a couple streets over. He wished the people involved were okay but this setback still agitated him. Lastly, once the power came back on, their talent couldn’t seem to nail what they were supposed to do, which irritated him more than it should’ve. She was new and deserved way more grace but too much had already set him off.

Ryan noticed Shane’s rigid movements the moment we walked back into the office. He could see his flustered face and partially clenched jaw. He cringed when he saw the fake smile Shane wore because it just seemed so _obvious_ , but no one else seemed to notice. When he made it back to his desk he sat hastily in his chair and rolled forward, mumbling a routine “Hello” to the smaller man beside him.

“What’s bothering you?” Ryan asked crossing his arms, swivelling to turn to Shane and leaning back in his chair.

The tall man shot him a look of confusion but answered. “Nothing, I’m just fine!” He chimed, plastering that _stupid_ and unconvincing grin on his face again.

“Dude, seriously. What’s up?” Ryan pressed.

Shane huffed and rub his eyes with the palm of hands, craving released tension that had built up in him. “Shooting was a nightmare.” He started and eventually he had spilled the entire story and then so extra information on things he’d kept pent up.

It made Ryan happy, knowing he had this ability no one else seemed to. He felt a sense of pride begin to well in chest whenever he could get Shane to talk to him about things he’d rather not get into detail about. But he wouldn’t ever let anyone know that.

-

The second time Ryan read Shane was on a rainy day in August. The showers came from nowhere and it seemed to all affect people’s moods, making everyone a little more sluggish than usual this Monday morning.

Shane had been unusually quiet all day and at first Ryan let it slide. Then it seemed prolonged. He was used to Shane needing his space and he was happy to give it. He knew that sometimes he wasn’t the most talkative and that he even liked to do things by himself a lot of the time. But this instances just felt different.

Usually in Shane’s solitude he had a look of contentment and ease, but today looked grim and fatigued. It hung off his features like ornaments on a Christmas tree and stuck out like a sore thumb. Ryan kept to himself most of the day and didn’t pressure Shane to speak, knowing he would when he felt ready. But on their way out of the office he couldn’t leave knowing he knew there was something bothering his best friend.

Ryan was a few yards behind the taller man in the parking lot when he jogged to catch up to him. “Hey, man. Wait up!” He called. Shane turned and stopped when he caught sight of him.

“Yeah?” He responded tiredly.

The smaller man offered a soft smile when he looked up to meet Shane’s eyes. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m just tired.” He lied.

“Oh, well, I was thinking maybe we could go and grab dinner? I think it could do us both some good.”

Ryan knew Shane would more than likely open up in a more casual setting rather than the workplace. And he was right. Shane accepted his offer and the two car-pooled to a nearby bar where Shane ended up sharing what was on his mind. A lot of heavy stuff had gone down over the weekend and he couldn’t seem to shake it. He told Ryan everything and he was noticeably better by the end of it. He even joked about how this dinner was exactly what he needed and that it was a perfect coincidence.

Ryan just smiled at this, saying he was happy to have listened. There was no coincidence in this timing though. He had seen “trouble” written all over Shane’s face and knew he needed to step in. This was a secret not even his best friend knew, that he was so damn transparent in front of Ryan’s eyes, but maybe it was better this way.

-  
When Ryan saw through Shane again it was a cold night in November in a town in Northern Pennsylvania. The two were on location at another supposedly haunted mansion that should’ve left Ryan in a state of panic and Shane laughing at his friends distress, right?

The moment they arrived Shane felt a foreign feeling of anxiousness. He attempted to brush it off, push it to the back of mind and forget, but these failed. Ryan picked up on his friend’s uncharacteristic behaviour midway through their investigation. He heard the wavering voice, noticed how he fidgeted with his, assumed, sweaty hands and most importantly, kept his gaze from meeting Ryan’s.

This was an immediate red flag. All throughout the night Shane averted his eyes from Ryan’s and tried to play it cool. He still had his usual banter and sarcasm but it seemed uncomfortably forced. He noticed that even the fearless man himself was getting startled at things even he wasn’t but played it off well enough for the crew to not notice.

When it came time for their individual lockdowns Shane attempted to talk himself out of it. Ryan tried to not let him know he knew, he tried to give him a hard time about it to lighten the mood but the taller man would not budge. He wouldn’t do it, he didn’t want to do it and there was nothing anyone could do to persuade him otherwise.

“Awe the big guy’s scared isn’t he?” Ryan teased though he was mentally screaming at himself.

Shane huffed. “I’m not scared. I just don’t want to do this, it’s pointless.”

Ryan persisted but he watched as Shane avoided his gaze. Eventually, with some coaxing, Shane was in the darkened closet, alone and with spirit box. It was silent, very unlike his usual taunting. Ryan pried at him, attempting to lighten Shane’s dreary mood, but there was no reply.

“Ryan, can you come in here please?” Shane’s voice was shaking and Ryan obliged.

When he opened the door he saw Shane on the floor, back against the wall and knees pulled up to his chin. He was rocking back and forth slowly and didn't look up when his smaller friend stepped in. Ryan closed the door behind him and squeezed in across Shane, mirroring his position.

“What’s wrong, buddy?” He whispered, nudging him lightly.

Shane swallowed nervously. “This place gives me the creeps.”

  
Ryan’s first reaction was to boast about finally finding a place that could scare Shane, but he knew it wasn't the time. His friend was distressed and it was now his duty to calm him.

“I know.” The smaller man confessed.

Shane cocked his head. “What?”

“I know. I could tell.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Shane inquired.

Ryan shrugged and assuresd his friend of the matter. He sat with him in the dark room, their legs brushed against each other while they talked through Shane’s uncertainty. Ryan almost spills his secret about being able to read him like a book, but he decides against it.

He doesn’t want to mess up the integrity of moments like these. He wants to dig deeper and be more for the friend that’s more for him. He knows that telling him how he can read him could potentially mess things up. For now he’s okay with this newfound discovery and he’ll handle it with care.

 

**Author's Note:**

> hope you could all enjoy it (despite the flaws)! comments and feedback are appreciated <3


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